Display panel



May 28, 1968 1.. HERBERT ET AL 3,384,982

DI SPLAY PANEL Filed March 25, 1965 FIG. 2

INVENTORS LAWRENCE HER8R7 BY JACK s/oemm/v mam ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,384,982 DISPLAY YANEL Lawrence Herbert, 11 Mark Lane, New City, N51. 10956, and Jack Siderman, 2761 Pauling Ave, Bronx, NY. 10469 Filed Mar. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 442,669 3 Claims. (Cl. 3526) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A simulated mosaic comprising a base sheet with color indicating indicia arrayed thereon and with colored paper units adhered thereover to form a picture. The color of the base sheet shows between the colored units to form a background.

The present invention relates generally to a display panel, and more particularly to the formation of a pictorial design for said display panel.

A display panel within the contemplated scope of the present invention is intended to have the broadest pos sible range of appropriate materials of construction, specific end-uses and other such aspects, since the crux of said invention resides more particularly in the provision of a pictorial design for such panel. In the provision of a pictorial design for a display panel, the appearance of said design is understandably the most important aspect and item of concern. Thus, to achieve a desirable ap pearance it is necessary firstly to employ a design of artistic content, and secondly to execute this design in materials and in a manner most suitable for displaying said design. Additionally, where it is contemplated that the purchaser of a kit, game or other such commercial product embodying said display panel will actually form the design on the display panel, this activity should not require more than minimal dexterity and skills. On the one hand therefore, an acceptable appearance in a pictorial design is enhanced in many cases by the use of plural colors, a somewhat complicated pattern to provide interest, and the use of unusual materials for the execution of said design, while on the other hand, a simplified mode of execution of said design would dictate an exact opposite approach. It is undoubtedly for this reason that there are few satisfactory solutions to the conflicting requirements in the provision of an acceptable pictorial design for a display panel.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a display panel having a pictorial design which is presented thereon with a highly desirable and unusual visual appearance and which is formed by plural colored units preferably fabricated of paper. Although this common material is employed in the execution of said pictorial design, both the appearance of said design and also the diliiculty required to form said design are solved to a satisfactory degree.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a display panel having a pictorial design formed by a predetermined array of fiat colored paper units pasted on said display panel, and which, in addition to other favorable visual aspects thereof, presents said pictorial design with an unusual three-dimensional effect which is not entirely exp-lainable by the minimal height variation provided by said plural units pasted on said display panel surface.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a display panel having a pictorial design which is formed by colored paper units, and which is executed 'ice with minimal dexterity and skills by virtue of the relative ease in which said paper units are applied to said display panel. In this connection, it is also readily communicated to the person applying said paper units on said panel at which location throughout said design and which specific color of paper unit is to be applied on said panel in order to form said pictorial design.

A display panel demonstrating features of the present invention includes a pictorial design formed thereon by a predetermined array of plural colored paper units interrupted by visible portions of the panel surface, said visible panel surface portions being effective to border each of said plural colored units and thereby enhance the visual effect of said units in the execution of said pictorial design. Additionally, said panel surface is provided with printed location-indicating indicia and an associated printed color indicating indicia as guides for communicating the exact locations on the surface of the display panel at which to apply a colored paper unit and also what specific color of paper unit is to be positioned at said specific location. Moreover, said paper units are supplied with :a suitable adhesive on the surface which is placed in contact with said display panel so that there is little difliculty in executing said pictorial design with said paper units.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display panel which is provided with a pictorial design throughout its entire front surface in accordance with the present invention, said design being simplified for illustrative purposes by being reproduced only in certain areas on said panel surface;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, on a greatly enlarged scale and in section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, best illustrating the character of the colored units and the contrasting visible background portions of said panel surface which form said pictorial design of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of a typical supply sheet of said colored units, wherein it is further illustrated how each of said units is conveniently peeled from said supply sheet preparatory to application on said display panel;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of exemplary geometric shapes which may be employed as printed indicia on the display panel and also as the shapes for said colored units; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a pictorial design formed by colored units of more than one geometric shape.

Illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly in FIG. 1 thereof, is a display panel, generally designated 19, which demonstrates features of the present invention. Display panel 10 may be formed of any material which may be conveniently printed, such as cardboard, paper, etc. Additionally, said display panel it may be part of a chil drens game, kit or the like, or in more sophisticated embodiments may be embodied in a product intended for adult use. Moreover, the primary value of said display panel It) may reside in the amusement derived in forming the pictorial design of said panel, or in the value of said panel as a decorative object, or it may reside in a combination of these two factors. In any event, there is no limitation intended in the scope or" the present invention by virtue of whichever one of a wide variety of materials is employed in the fabrication of the display panel 10, or in the particular end-use or beneficial effect which is claimed for said display panel. This is for the reason that these and other aspects of said display panel 16 are not essential to the novel application of, and the novelty inherent in, the pictorial design which is characteristic of said display panel Iii and which is considered to be the crux of the present invention.

Having the foregoing in mind, reference is now made to the highlighted panel surface area, generally designated 190, shown at the left on the front face 12 of the panel iii, and which area will be understood to be exemplary of the entire surface area of said panel front face 12 when said panel is in its completed condition. More particularly, in the completed condition of the panel 10, there is provided thereon for display a novel and highly decorative pictorial design, herein generally designated 14, which is exemplified by a recognizable object such as the flower depicted in FIG. 1. That is, said pictorial design 14 is formed by a predetermined array of plural colored units, collectively designated 15, interrupted by visible surface portions of the panel face 12 which are herein collectively designated 18. Thus, said pictorial design 14 will be readily recognized as being formed more particularly as a mosaic design comprised of individual and discrete colored units is in uniform rectangular shapes and bordered by visible surface portions 18 of the front face 12 of the panel 19. It has been found that the combined effect of the use of plural colored units 16 in contrast with a uniform and visible inte 'upting background surface pattern 18 provides both an enhanced and a surprising three dimensional appearance to said pictorial design 14.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be understood that the colored units 16 are, according to the present invention, more particularly intended to be fabricated of flat pup stock in a basis weight which is conventional for ordinary bond paper or the like. In other words, each of the colored paper units 16, by virtue of being fabricated from sucl raw materials, is essentially a flat member and therefore, when applied on the panel face 12, does not inherently provide a sufiicient height variation from said panel face to entirely account for the three-dimensional visual effect which is produced in said pictorial design 14. Said threadirnensional effect is therefore believed to be derived primarily from the contrast between the plural colors on the exposed surfaces of the various paper units 16 and also from the contrast of said units with a uniformly provided neutral background color which in practice is printed on the exp sed surface portions 18 of the panel front face 12. Further shown in FIG. 2 is a relatively thin coat 20 of an appropriate pressure sensitive adhesive which is provided along the hidden surface 16a of each of the paper units 16. Thus, by virtue of the adhesive surface coat 28 it is a rel tively simple matter to apply each of the paper units 16 to the panel surface 12.

Not only are said adhcsively-backed paper units 16 easy to apply, but such units as best shown in FIG. 3 may be conveniently provided on a composite supply sheet and removed, when needed, one at a time by being peeled from said supply sheet 22. In a well understood manner, the composite supply sheet 22 includes a wax-coated backing sheet 24 and a conventional she-ct of paper P provided with an adhesive coating 20 and adhered along said coating 20 to said backing sheet 24. As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, it is a simple matter to provide the plural colors needed for the pictorial design 14 by merely printing the exposed surface of the paper sheet P with differing bands of color as depicted by the different surface cross-hatching illustrated in this figure. Merely by providing appropriately die-cut horizontal and vertical lines, herein collectively designated H and V, respectively, only through the paper stock P it is possible to form said dis crete and separate paper units 16 which thereafter are easily peeled or separated indivdually from the backing sheet 24.

Returning again to FIG. 1 and more particularly to the surface area 16]; thereof, it will be understood that printed on the panel face 12 are location-indicating indicia, herein collectively designated 26, which in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided by a rectangular shape printed throughout said panel surface 12. In accordance with the present invention, a colored unit 16 is properly loca ed on said panel face 12 when pasted over one of said location-indicating rectan les 26. Additionally, printed within each of said rectangles 26 is color-indicating indicia, herein collectively designated 23. In said FIG. 1 embodiment such indicia 28 is more particularly provided by algebraic numbers, wherein the same number is repeated in each rectangle 26 reserved for the same color in the pictorial design 14 of the present invention. Thus, the indicia 26 indicates the specific location on the panel surface 12 where a unit if is to be placed, and the indicia 23 associated therewith further indicates what particular color of the available colored units 16 is to be used in said specific location. Prior to the application of the colored unit to in an area such as is exemplified by area 10b, it will be appreciated that it is difficult for the eye to determine just what the pictorial design is on said panel surface 12, and it has been found that this aspect greatly enhances the enjoyment derived from completing a typical display panel 1% of the present invention.

Other forms for certain of the foregoing described features and aspects of the display panel 10 of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and more particularly relate to modifications of the location and color indicia for each of the colored units used to form the r-ictorial design 14 of said panel. Where possible, the same but primed reference numbers have been employed in said iigtues. instead of using algebraic numbers as the color-indicating indicia, the present invention also contemplates the use of plural geometric shapes such as are illustrated in FIG. 4 and individually and collectively designated 26 in said figure. In conjunction with the use of such plural shapes 26, it is proposed that a single one of such shapes be reserved for one of the colors of said pictorial design 14, and that said shape be repeated at every location throughout said pictorial design at which it is intended to display this color. Thus, in this embodiment the color-indicating indicia 28' is provided by the shape of the location-indicating indicia 26'. Additionally and as best shown in FIG. 5, a colored unit 16 die-cut in a shape and in a dimension generally conforming to said printed location-indicating plural shapes 26 are employed in this embodiment of the invention. Although it is easier for the eye to somewhat detect the pictorial design 14 which is embodied in said printed indicia 26, 28, these modifications are nevertheless advantageously used and recommended for use in a kit or game for younger children who otherwise might have difiiculty in associating colors with different algebraic numbers in order to properly form the display panel pictorial design 14.

From the foregoing, it will therefore be appreciated that a display panel ill according to the present invention is characterized by a highly decorative and noteworthy pictorial design 14- formed by colored paper units 16 which are conveniently applied to said panel, said units being applied at a location and in a color which are readily communicated by various forms of indicia 26, 23 printed on said panel 1%. Additionally, the combined effect of using colored units bordered by visible portions 18 of said panel surface 22 produces an unusual three-dimensional visual effect for the pictorial design 14 which is not solely attributable to the slight height variation inherent in the use of the units 16 pasted on said panel.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A display panel having a pictorial design formed on a surface thereof by a predetermined array of plural colored units interrupted by visible portions of said panel surface, said panel surface having a printed background color in said visible portions and in the other portions thereof underlying each of said colored units a printed color indicating indicia assigned to each color of said colored units and repeated at every location throughout said pictorial design intended to be displayed in said color of said colored unit, each of said colored units being formed from fiat paper stock in a substantially identical size and shape having an adhesive surface and adhered to said display panel over the one of said color-indicating indicia which corresponds to the colored surface of said paper unit.

2. A display panel having a pictorial design formed on a surface thereof by a predetermined array of plural colored units interrupted by visible portions of said panel surface, said panel surface having in the hidden surface portions thereof underlying said colored units plural geometric shapes respectively assigned to each color of said colored units and repeated at every location throughout said pictorial design intended to be displayed in said color of said colored unit, and in the remaining visible surface portions thereof a printed background color in a pattern surrounding each of said colored units for providing a border for each unit to enhance the visual impact of each unit in said pictorial design, each of said colored units being formed from fiat, colored paper stock having an adhesive surface and adhered to said display panel over the one of said geometric shapes which corresponds to the colored surface of said paper unit.

3. A display panel having a pictorial design formed on a surface thereof by a predetermined array of plural colored units interrupted by visible ortions of said panel surface, said panel surface having in the hidden surfaces portions thereof underlying said colored units a printed rectangle having therein plural numbers respectively assigned to each color of said colored units and repeated at every location throughout said pictorial design intended to be displayed in said color of said colored unit, and in the remaining visible surface portions thereof a printed background color in a pattern surrounding each of said colored units for providing a border for each unit to enhance the visual impact of each unit in said pictorial design, each of said colored units being die-cut from flat, colored paper stock in a rectangular shape and in dimensions generally conforming to those of said printed rectangles and having an adhesive surface for being adhered to said display panels over the one of said printed rectangles having a number therein which corresponds to the colored surface of said paper unit intended for association with said number.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,458 1/1924 Mershon -8 1,536,633 5/1925 Sheifer 35-8 X 2,592,078 4/1952 Taylor et al. -442 X 3,002,309 10/1961 Snyder 35-27 X FOREIGN PATENTS 957,363 8/ 1949 France.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

H. S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner. 

